Bianca, Or, The Young Spanish Maiden

Bianca, or, The Young Spanish Maiden (1878) is a novel by Toru Dutt. Published the year after her death at the age of 21, Bianca, or, The Young Spanish Maiden is a heartfelt work of romance by a pioneering figure in Indian history and Bengali literature.

A funeral procession was winding slowly up the path; two mourners followed the coffin; the church yard was in a lonely place; so there were no half-curious, half-sympathising people following. It was the daughter of Alonzo Garcia a foreign gentleman residing in England, his eldest daughter and his most loved; the youngest was by his side, Bianca.

Inspired by her time in England, Toru Dutt tells the story of a young girl mourning the loss of her beloved sister Inez. Tragic and timeless, Bianca, or, The Young Spanish Maiden investigates themes of faith, family, and courtship while illuminating the experience of a young foreigner living in England. Born in Calcutta to a family of Bengali Christians, Toru Dutt was raised at the crossroads of English and Indian cultures. In addition to her native Bengali, she became fluent in English, French, and Sanskrit as a young girl, eventually writing novels and poems in each language. Despite her limited body of work, Dutt’s legacy as a groundbreaking writer remains firm in India and around the world.

With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Toru Dutt’s Bianca, or, The Young Spanish Maiden is a classic work of Bengali literature reimagined for modern readers.